


Connections

by the_goofball



Series: Broken Pieces [1]
Category: Star Trek: Picard
Genre: Coping mechanism, Episode: s01e10 Et in Arcadia Ego Part 2, F/F, First Kiss, Hurt/Comfort, Missing Scene, Out of Character, tw alcohol, tw drugs
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-12
Updated: 2020-04-13
Packaged: 2021-03-01 19:47:29
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,343
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23612527
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/the_goofball/pseuds/the_goofball
Summary: Seven looked down the path that dwindled into the dark and towards the Artifact. She had no real desire to return there. And it wasn’t the walk through the dark that bothered her. But the Artifact wasn’t a home, not to her anyway. The xBs would do just as well without her, maybe even better. She didn’t belong there.
Relationships: Raffi Musiker/Seven of Nine
Series: Broken Pieces [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1729177
Comments: 37
Kudos: 94





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Plot bunnies kept jumping at me with tidbits of ideas for this little scene.  
> Thanks to @Curator for the encouragement!  
> And without further ado: enjoy!

**Connections**

„Seven?“

Seven turned to Raffi who came from a track that led behind the building.

„I… are you on your way back to the cube?”

Seven looked down the path that dwindled into the dark and towards the Artifact. She had no real desire to return there. And it wasn’t the walk through the dark that bothered her. But the Artifact wasn’t a home, not to her anyway. The xBs would do just as well without her, maybe even better. She didn’t belong there. Her gaze shifted to the house. She didn’t belong there either, with the Synths and the few human stragglers.

With a soft sigh, Seven looked back at Raffi. “I don’t know where to go.” Which was exactly why she was standing here at the edge of the front yard.

Raffi wrung her hands and nodded. “Maybe I have a solution for both of us.”

Seven cocked her head questioningly.

Raffi averted her gaze for a moment before looking back at Seven. “I- I don’t want to be alone right now.”

“Understandable.” Seven said. “But I’m not sure I’m the best company at the moment.” Not with the way she felt about herself right now, with the self-contempt about _doing it again_.

“Ha. I don’t care,” Raffi said. “I know for a fact that I’m miserable company myself.”

Amused by Raffi’s blunt admission, Seven nodded in acknowledgment.

“I mean, I don’t want or need a deep meaningful conversation from you. Just…” Raffi shrugged.

“The company?” Seven offered.

Raffi nodded.

That she could do. Seven gestured towards the house. “Lead the way.”

There was a deep breath, then Raffi turned. “This way.”

Seven followed Raffi into the house, up some stairs and finally into a room. She looked around, taking in the desk in front of the big window front with an arm chair beside it and a bed in a corner, facing the window.

She looked back to Raffi who just stood there, staring to the ground.

“I-“ Raffi crossed her arms. “I don’t know…” She shrugged and then rubbed her arms.

“Don’t know what?”

“Anything.” Raffi shivered.

“Are you cold?”

“A bit.”

 _And obviously at the end of your rope_ , Seven thought and held out a hand. “Come.”

There was only the shortest of hesitation before Raffi took the offered hand and Seven led her towards the bed. On the way, she grabbed a folded blanket from the arm chair.

“Can you take off your boots?” Seven asked and placed the blanket on the bed.

Raffi nodded but didn’t move.

“Raffi?”

Raffi turned her head and looked at Seven, her eyes swimming in tears. “I’m sorry,” she whispered.

Feeling her own eyes starting to burn _again_ , Seven clenched her jaw. _Focus on how angry you are with yourself_ , she thought. _How angry you are with Picard and the Federation for the mess they made_. _Or_ , another voice in her head said, _you could simply focus on Raffi_.

Seven put her hands on Raffi’s shoulder and gently turned her around. “Sit,” Seven said, her voice just a little raspy. Once Raffi sat on the edge of the bed, Seven made quick work of taking off Raffi’s boots. She then told Raffi to lay down and spread the blanket over her.

“I’ll be back in a minute,” Seven said, letting her hand rest on Raffi’s arm for a moment. “I’m just going to get a drink.”

There was a slight nod from Raffi in response and Seven went over to the replicator. The sorry excuse for alcohol that they had here might be just enough.

She tapped the instruction into the panel and waited for the replicator to finish its job. Back at the bed she sat onto the edge. “Can you sit up for a moment? I have something to drink for you.”

Raffi sat up, took the glass and took a large sip – and almost instantly started chocking.

Seven caught the glass just in time before anything got spilled.

“Goddamnit, Seven!” Raffi croaked. “Are you trying to poison me?”

“Huh, that worked a lot better than I had anticipated,” Seven murmured to herself and looked at the green liquid with newfound respect.

“What _is_ that stuff?!” Raffi’s voice was still rough from the coughing.

“That’s what they gave me earlier when I asked for alcohol.” Straight-faced, Seven offered Raffi the glass again. “Some more?”

Raffi’s head tipped sideways and she glared at Seven.

“I take that as a no,” Seven said with a slight grin and put the glass on the nightstand. She took off her own boots and climbed onto the bed from the other side. Once comfortable, she looked to Raffi and lifted an arm invitingly. “You’re welcome if you want to.”

Without a word, Raffi moved over and nestled against Seven’s side. She sighed and then wrapped one arm around Seven’s waist. “Thank you for being here with me.”

Seven put her arm around Raffi. “You’re welcome.” She inhaled Raffi’s sun kissed scent and then settled down to look out to the two red moons and to watch the lightning flicker across the sky.

To keep herself from thinking about the last several hours – days really – Seven instead turned her thoughts towards the woman in her arm. She had not expected to ever see her again. She thought Raffi had planned to leave La Sirena and its occupants during the stay in Freecloud. It had been a pleasant surprise to see her with the others at the cube. Seven liked Raffi’s no-nonsense attitude, the snark with which she delivered some of her comments and that she wore her heart on her sleeve.

Seven lowered her gaze to look at Raffi. All she could see, though, was the tip of her nose under the cloud of brown and golden curls. A smile tugged at the corner of Seven’s mouth. Then she looked out again to the ever present lightning.

She watched and she listened to Raffi’s even breathing. In and out.

In and out.

*

_Connection._

_A thousand voices._

_One mind._

_We are Borg._

_We are Borg._

_We are Borg._

_We are-_

_A sudden pull as air rushes out of the opening seals._

_The freezing cold of outer space._

_The searing smell of hot metal._

_One mind._

_A thousand screams._

_Deafening silence._

Seven jolted upright, her heart pounding wildly.

“It’s okay, honey. It’s just a dream.” Raffi’s voice was calm.

Seven exhaled, then took a deep breath. She was relieved she was here, in this room and not on the cube, attached and connected to the… horrible silence. Then she became fully aware of Raffi beside her.

“I apologize for falling asleep on you,” Seven said in a clipped tone, not looking at Raffi. “You asked me to keep you company.”

Raffi snorted softly. “I have no idea who was the first to fall asleep.”

“I’m sorry to wake you then.”

“Forget it.”

Seven nodded curtly.

Raffi shifted beside her and Seven closed her eyes – only to re-open them immediately. She did not want to see any more Borg bodies float in space.

“Here.” Raffi’s calm voice again.

Seven turned towards Raffi who was offering her the glass of alcohol, mouth twitching in amusement. A tight knot inside of Seven loosened a little and she reached for the glass. “I poison you, you poison me?”

Raffi shrugged. “Seemed only fair.”

With a salute to Raffi, Seven downed the content without flinching.

“Ugh! How?” Raffi grimaced in disgust.

Seven handed the empty glass back to Raffi who disposed of it. “It’s not so bad when you think of it as medicine.”

“I’ll have to remember that.” Raffi sat back beside Seven. She lifted a corner of the blanket. “You want some?”

She did indeed feel a little chilled, so she pulled a part of the blanket across her lap.

“You want to talk about your dream?” Raffi asked.

“There isn’t much to tell about the dream itself.”

“I’ll still listen if you want to share.”

For a moment Seven focused her gaze on the sky outside. “Do you know anything about what happened on the cube?”

Raffi shook her head. “Not really.”

Seven nodded slowly and leaned back into the pillows. “I went there because a Fenris S.O.S. chip had been activated,” she began. She told Raffi about how she had found Elnor. And about how they had made their way to the Queen’s chamber to steal back the cube. She shared that she hadn’t wanted to assimilate the Borg _again_. She even shared her apprehension of possibly not being willing to let go again once she was connected.

Seven paused and looked straight into Raffi’s eyes. “Then the Romulans started killing the xBs.”

“Oh, no,” Raffi whispered.

“I didn’t think anymore, I just activated the link.”

“You wanted to help the xBs, consequences be damned.”

“Something like that,” Seven said. “I heard them all. I felt them all,” she said around a lump in her throat. “And then the Romulans opened the outer seals of the cube.”

Raffi’s face bore a look of pure horror. Seven turned away her head and blinked to ease the burning in her eyes.

“You felt them all die?”

Seven nodded.

A warm hand moved on top of hers.

“That must have been horrible,” Raffi said.

“It’s what I dreamed about.”

“Oh, honey.” Raffi softly squeezed Seven’s hand.

The warmth and comfort of Raffi’s compassion seeped through her body. Filled her up, reaching and melting places that had been frozen for so long. She closed her eyes, soaking it in – then remembered what she had done earlier that day and quickly pulled her hand away. “Maybe you should wait with the sympathy until you’ve heard the full story.”

“Why’s that?”

“Because earlier today, I killed the person responsible for it. And I killed her in cold blood.” Seven looked outside again. She covered the spot where Raffi’s hand had been with her own hand, trying to keep the warmth from leaking out again.

“You loathe yourself for killing her.”

It was a statement, not a question. Seven looked at Raffi in surprise. “Why would you believe that?”

Raffi shrugged. “Maybe because I’ve seen this particular expression in the mirror many times.”

Seven quirked her implant.

“I’m an addict,” Raffi said. “I’ve ruined my life to a degree that I- I’ll never get to know my granddaughter.”

Seven nodded slowly, then cocked her head. “Tell me yours, I’ll tell you mine?”, she asked.

Raffi let out a laugh. “Because we’re not feeling miserable enough?”

“Considering the circumstances,” Seven said slowly. “I’m not doing too badly.”

Raffi stopped short, her attention very obviously turning inwards for a moment. “You’re right,” she said. “Weird.”

Seven swallowed. “I think in my case it’s the company. I- I don’t feel judged by you.”

The corner of Raffi’s mouth lifted. “Yeah,” she said. “Same here.”

They looked at each other in silence for a moment.

Then Raffi nodded again. “Okay, let’s do this.”

“All right, I think I’ll have some more _medicine_ for this,” Seven said and pulled the blanket back. “Want some as well?”

The disgust in Raffi’s face said everything and Seven chuckled as she got up.

“Nah, thanks,” Raffi said. “But you could pass me my backpack.”

A few minutes later Seven and Raffi sat once more side by side, Seven with her _medicine_ and Raffi with her horgl, and they began sharing parts of their story with one another.

TBC


	2. Chapter 2

They had talked through the night.

There had been tears and smiles, words of understanding and lighthearted jokes to lift the mood if needed. And there had been hands. Hands to hold onto for support or to slap against in a high five.

Now they sat in companionable silence, watching the sunrise.

Suddenly there was a commotion outside their door. First there were only footsteps but neither Seven nor Raffi felt a need to check what was going on.

But that changed when Elnor shouted one name with pure delight: “Picard!”

For a second, Seven and Raffi just stared at one another, before they scrambled out of bed, hurriedly put on their boots and followed the noises through the house until they came to a large common room.

There, surrounded by Soji, Agnes Jurati, Dr. Soong and some of the residents and with a beaming Elnor right in front of him, stood Picard who was clearly not dead anymore.

“I don’t believe it,” Seven said with a grin, echoing what Picard had said upon seeing her in the Artifact after the crash. It must have been the lack of sleep that made her feel disgustingly giddy and almost… hopeful.

“No kidding.” Raffi swayed on her feet beside her.

Seven reached out to steady her and Raffi leaned against her. It felt like the most natural thing to just put an arm around her.

“I’m gonna kill him,” Raffi muttered.

“What. You’re going to hug him to death?”

“Keep talking and you’re next in line,” Raffi grumbled.

Seven pressed her lips together, trying to hide a grin.

“Do you have _any_ idea what we’ve been through, JL?” Raffi asked and crossed her arms.

Picard turned to her and opened his mouth.

“Yeah, what the fuck, Picard?” Everyone looked to the other entrance to the room where a disheveled Rios stood, hands on hips.

“I’m-“ Picard started.

“It’s not his fault,” Agnes said to Rios.

Soji turned to Raffi. “We didn’t know if we would succeed and we didn’t want to get your hopes up.”

“Succeed with what exactly?” Seven asked the obvious question.

“We managed to scan, map and transfer a complete neural chart of the Admiral’s brain substrates into a synthetic body,” Dr. Soong explained.

“A synthetic body?” Seven shook her head with a laugh. “Leave it to you, Picard, human, Borg and now a Synth.”

Picard tilted his head with a slight shrug as if to say _‘What can I say?’_ He looked at Raffi. “I’m truly sorry for the pain I have caused you.” He looked over to Rios. “Both of you.”

There was a soft sniff beside her and Seven looked at Raffi, who had one hand pressed over her mouth. Seven tightened her grip for a moment in support.

“Well, I’d say that is cause for celebration, is it not?” Dr. Soong looked around the room.

“Just give me a moment to talk with Raffi and Rios,” Picard said to him.

Seven turned to Raffi. “I’ll see you in a bit.”

Raffi put a hand on Seven’s arm and squeezed gently before she walked off.

Seven followed Raffi with her eyes for a moment, then focused her attention to the rest of the room.

*

Breakfast was a joyous affair and lasted well into the afternoon.

Seven felt less tense and more optimistic than she had in years. Yes, the galaxy at large was still in shambles. But right now, here in this corner of it, things were not so bad.

Before they had started with the festivities, Seven had spoken to Dr. Soong about the other xBs who were still in the Artifact. She had asked and received permission for them to stay on Coppelius if they so choose.

When the time to leave drew nearer, Seven excused herself to go and talk to the xBs to deliver the news. She said her good-byes to their hosts, pinned the communicator Rios handed her to her shirt and headed for the door.

“Seven, a word?”

Seven half turned and waited for Raffi to catch up, then followed her outside and around a corner.

Raffi seemed to be in a much better mood and was practically vibrating with energy. “So, I’ve been wondering… if we get a chance on the way, would you like to get together for a drink, or a meal, or…?”

“Sure.” Seven smiled and nodded. Then she cocked her head. _Why had Raffi felt the need to ask this in private? And why exactly was Raffi so bouncy? Was this maybe more than_ … Seven felt a flutter of excitement and she licked her lips. “Would this be friends getting together, or are you… are you asking me out on a date?”

“Date! Definitely a date.” Raffi nodded once to emphasize her words. “Only if you’d want that of course,” she added hastily. “It being a date, I mean.”

Seven couldn’t remember the last time she had smiled a full, open, honest smile like she did now. “I’d like having a date with you.”

“Great!” Raffi beamed. “That’s great.”

The two grinned at each other.

Then with a laugh, Seven looked away for a moment. “I should get going,” she said. Her gaze returned to Raffi’s smiling face and the warmth in her eyes. “You have to stop looking at me like that.”

“Like what?”

Seven shook her head. “I’m not sure,” she said quietly and put a hand onto Raffi’s cheek. “Like you’ve found something that makes you happy.”

Raffi leaned into the touch. “I might have.”

Seven inhaled deeply. Then she leaned in and pressed her lips against Raffi’s cheek. “I’ll see you later,” she said with a last stroke of her thumb across Raffi’s skin. She turned on her heels – or tried to.

Raffi’s grip on her arm stopped her. “You’ve got to be kidding me.”

Perplexed, Seven turned back to Raffi who looked at her from underneath furrowed brows. “Wha-“

“Yesterday poison and today you try to kill me by suspension?”

Seven quirked her implant.

“You better think again if you believe I’d let you get away with _almost_ kissing me.”

Seven cocked her head. “I might be rusty when it comes to _courtship rituals_ but I think kissing before the first date-“

Raffi let out a snort. “Do I look like I give a damn?”

“Apparently not.” Seven moved closer to Raffi, so close that they almost touched. She leaned in and kissed Raffi’s soft lips. “Better?”, she asked quietly.

“Yes… no.” Raffi shrugged, opened her mouth as if to say something, then shook her head. Instead she closed the distance between them.

Seven inhaled sharply when she felt Raffi’s body pressed flush against her own. Then there was a hand in her neck, gently drawing her closer. Raffi’s lips brushed against her own once, twice, then Raffi’s tongue caressed Seven’s lower lip. She moaned softly and cupped Raffi’s face with one hand and then parted her lips to meet Raffi’s tongue with her own.

To Seven the kiss felt like... like Raffi herself. Curious, open and explorative. And yet also a bit risky. But like last night, Raffi’s warmth made Seven feel safe.

When their kiss ended they stood there with their foreheads leaning against one another; their fingers still tracing unknown patterns across skin.

Seven sighed contentedly. “This day is just full of surprises,” she said with a smile.

“Yeah, you could say that.” Raffi laughed softly.

“I’d love to stay with you, but I need to get a move on.” Seven sighed again and moved her head back to look at Raffi. “I really don’t want Rios to strand me here.”

“Ha! I’d like to see him try.”

Seven chuckled. “I guess I don’t have to worry about that.”

Raffi shook her head. “Not for one second.”

Seven got distracted by the laugh line at the corner of Raffi’s mouth. The same mouth that had- Seven let out a groan and then took five steps backwards with a rueful smile. “Time to get my badass persona back on.”

“Right.” Raffi nodded exaggeratedly. “Because you are Seven, the ex-Borg Fenris Ranger from the Delta Quadrant.”

Seven gave her a questioning look.

“Never mind, long story,” Raffi said with a grin. “I’ll tell you later.”

Seven dipped her head in acknowledgment and then turned and walked away. Halfway across the plaza, Seven activated the communicator. “Seven to Raffi.”

“Raffi here.”

“Are you watching me?”

“Oh, you bet I am,” Raffi said. “That’s a damn fine swagger you got there.”

Seven laughed.

Things really weren’t so bad. Not bad at all.

Fin


End file.
